Apparatus for treating patients by bodily movements



l i. 1093 Aug. 30,1927. V. J PEARFSEY 64, y

APPARATUS 11n TR1-1mm@ APATIENTS BY 130mm movEMENTs Filed sept. 29. 1920 Patented Aug.v 30, 1927.A

VIVIAN J. PEAR/VSE, OF EVERETT, WASHNG-TON.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING PATENTS BY BODILY MOVEMENTS.

Application led September 29, 1320.

The general object of this invent-ionis to provide novel treatment for various abnormal physical conditions, for example, the undue accumulation of fatty matter in the human body, and this treatment involves slowly rotating the body of the patient about a longitudinal axis. F romanany possible ways of carrying out the general idea of the invention devices shown in the ldraw- .ings have been selected.

In these drawings, which are largely diagrammatic,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a form of apparatus which may be used.

Fig. 2 is an elevation looking from the left in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diametrical longitudinal section of a slightly modified cylinder which may be used instead of that shown in Fig. 1.

In these ligures, A represents a drum open at each end and made of wood, canvas, or other material. The upper side of the drum wall is gripped between parallel rollers B, B having shafts C, C, yieldingly pressed 25 together by springs H and revoluble in bearings D, D. The shafts are connected by gears kE, E and one of them bears a driving pulley F or is connected to any suitable source of power. The interior of the drum is preferably provided with low projections 0, which may be cushion-like, so that the drum surface may not slip on the body of the patient in the cylinder and so failv to produce the desired rotation.

1f while the patient lies extended inside the drum rotating power be caused, bythe patient or another, to act upon thev rollers the drum will be rotated and will in its own rotation cause the body of the patient to rotate, the drum tending to raise the body and gravity causing itv to roll toward the lowest part of the drum. This affords a] sort of mild massage, but the action and results are very diferent from anything heretofore proddced, so far as l am aware This mo- Seral No. 413,517.

dominal and thoracic organs are all acted upon as they cannot be by ordinary methods. Practical use of the apparatus shows that the nervous system is usually benefited, that assimilation and elimination of undesirable matter both become more active, and that there is a marked reduction in fat-ty accumulations. rEhe method set forth is often used solely to reduce corpulency, and While itis effective it incidentally and necessarily improves the general physical condition instead of being injurious as are many fatreducing expedients.

It is plain that the massage will be more or less gentle according to the speed of rotation, and that in certain cases the rotation of body may be extremely slow, gently shifting the blood without the least muscular or othereort on the part of the patient.

V ery similar results are reached by using the slightly modified devices of Fig. 3. Here a drum 1 has end spiders J to which the parts L of the power shaft are attached, and if desired, a` large doorjK through which one may enter and leave the drum. Other exp'edients for rolling the drum may be adopted, the essential being that the reclining person inside shall be rotated, whatever the means for applying rotatingv force.

What l claim is: n

l. ln therapeutic devices for mechanically treating the human body, the combination with a concave member adapted to support extended in horizontal position the body of a." patient to be treated and to resist its slipping onthe member, of means for forcibly moving 'said member relative to said body and transversely with respect toy the longitudinal axis thereof to roll said supported body about said axis, whereby the position of said body is successively reversed.

2. In a therapeutic device, thev combination with a hollow receptacle having a yielding interior surface adapted to support the free body of a patient stretched out therein and prevent its slipping on said surface, and

means for slowly advancing the receptacle wall beneath the body, compelling the latter to rotate.

In a therapeutic device, thecombination with a hollow cylinder having a cushionlike interior surface adapted to prevent ready slipping of e patient thereon, unil means for slowly rotating the cylinder, whereby lille patient is gently raised Wi'h the ascending Wall of the Cylinder und rolled in a. contrary direction liy gravity.

il. In u therapeutic device, the combination with n hollenv rooepizu'le having :L eusli* ion-like interior surface und adapted to con- [ein the prone boily oil' :i patient, of power ilriren rollers engngiilg :1nd advancing tl'ie upper Side of the receptacle wall, whereby ille body o the patient may be .slowly 1'otzzi'eil with respect to im longitudinal :iXiS

ln l'etiinony whereof l hereunto alii): my

signature.

VIVIN J. VPEARSE. 

